Therapist Asked For Tips, So This Parent Fired Her On The Spot

Therapy relies heavily on trust. You are expected to open up about your fears, finances, and family struggles, believing that the professional across from you is acting in your best interest. Once that trust cracks, even slightly, it can be hard to ignore the feeling that something fundamental has shifted.

The original poster was co-parenting a 12-year-old with his ex and had been attending therapy sessions for years. While the experience felt more routine than transformative, he stayed committed for his son’s sake.

That changed after an unexpected conversation about money took an uncomfortable turn. A simple request from the therapist left him stunned and suspicious, forcing him to reconsider everything about the relationship. Was it a misunderstanding or a serious ethical line being crossed? Read on to see why he made a drastic decision.

After two years of family therapy, a dad rethinks everything when money enters the room.

There are moments when trust doesn’t break with a bang but slips away quietly. In spaces built on vulnerability, even a small shift can change how safe someone feels. When a relationship that’s meant to provide support starts to feel transactional, the emotional impact often outweighs the actual event.

In this situation, the OP was not reacting to money itself. He was responding to a loss of emotional safety. For years, he had attended family therapy primarily for his 12-year-old son, even though the sessions felt more like an obligation than a breakthrough.

When the therapist referenced his improved financial situation and followed it with a request for extra cash, the dynamic changed. What had been professional suddenly felt personal.

The concern wasn’t the amount, but the implication that his honesty may have been remembered and reused. Once that thought entered the room, trust, the foundation of therapy, eroded.

People are split because they prioritize different values. Some focus on continuity and worry about throwing away two years of work. Others instinctively side with the OP’s reaction. Psychological research shows that many men are particularly sensitive to perceived unfairness or loss of autonomy.

What might feel like a harmless request to one person can feel like exploitation to another, especially when there is already an inherent power imbalance. From this angle, the OP’s choice reads less like impulsivity and more like boundary enforcement.

Professional ethics strongly support that interpretation. The American Psychological Association (APA) states in its Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct that psychologists must avoid exploiting clients financially and must establish clear, pressure-free fee arrangements.

Using personal information shared in therapy to justify additional payment undermines ethical practice and client trust.

In addition, GoodTherapy, a widely used mental health education platform, explains that boundary violations do not need to be extreme to cause harm.

Financial requests outside previously agreed terms can destabilize the therapeutic alliance and make clients feel unsafe or manipulated. Once trust is damaged, continuing therapy may no longer be beneficial.

Seen through this lens, the OP’s decision appears grounded rather than reactive. Therapy depends on safety and trust, especially when a child is involved. If a parent no longer feels secure, that instability can quietly affect the child as well.

A realistic takeaway is that time invested does not obligate someone to stay. Walking away from a professional relationship that no longer feels ethical or safe is not a failure. Sometimes, it is the most responsible choice available.

Here’s what the community had to contribute:

These commenters strongly agreed the therapist acted unethically and broke trust

These users urged OP to report the therapist to insurance or licensing boards

This group backed OP but warned against abruptly ending therapy without transition

These commenters criticized OP for prioritizing himself over his son’s mental health

This commenter agreed the therapist was wrong but stressed finding a new therapist

These users said the therapist crossed ethical lines by asking for extra money

Most readers sided with the decision to walk away but not without reservations. The therapist’s request raised real ethical concerns, yet many felt the bigger story was about balance: protecting boundaries without abandoning support.

Do you think firing the therapist was the only reasonable move, or should there have been a transition plan for the child?

And where should parents draw the line when trust clashes with continuity of care? Share your hot takes below we’re listening.